missing pickup screw

[hieronymous]

Played out with my Stanley Clarke Signature Squared for the first time. The gig went great, though setup was a bit chaotic, and I took down my rig quicker than usual (I was usually the last one out when I was gigging regularly 20 years ago). At one point, I remember seeing a screw on the ground near my pedalboard, but I didn't pick it up, assuming it was there from before.

I pulled out the bass a couple of nights later to practice, and the G string was buzzing - upon closer inspection, the neck pickup was touching the spring! My pickup screw was gone!



So just putting this out there to see if anyone happens to have an extra. I'm kind of hoping not, the shipping on it would be more than the screw is worth, and it could be an excuse to go up to the Mothership and grab some Pliny the Elder, but thought I should ask first. Or maybe I should trek over to Jack London Square - it might still be there!

[StephenR]

You could remove another screw, take it to a hardware store, and see if they sell the same screws. I regularly find all sorts of oddball screws etc.at the hardware store and you can buy as few as one. Last time I needed a screw for one of my instruments I went to Ace Hardware on Grand Ave in Oakland and when I told them the screw I was looking for was from an instrument they sent someone over to help that used to play bass with Mandrill in the 70s. Even though I didn't need someone with a music background to help he was a nice dude and helped me find what I was looking for. Good chance that the missing screw is still on the ground somewhere at JLS... unless of course they actually sweep from time to time.

[hieronymous]

Went back to Jack London Square and took a look around but no luck...

[keith_h]

Our local Ace Hardware still carries a wide selection of screws and the like. They have a larger selection of the non-standard things than the big box stores and is usually where I go when looking for stainless steel fasteners.

[hieronymous]

Yup, looks like Ace is the next stop - there are a few good ones around here - gonna have to bone up on my Mandrill just in case!

[edwardofhuncote]

I knew this post was here somewhere:

http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=215.msg233564#msg233564

(in case you need the exact specs while at the hardware store) 

[hieronymous]

I knew this post was here somewhere:

http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=215.msg233564#msg233564

(in case you need the exact specs while at the hardware store) 

Thank you! Excellent post

[hieronymous]

So I went to Pastime Hardware, one of my local Ace representatives (franchises? I don't know their system - sometimes they go more by their local name than "Ace"). Armed with the not-missing screw and the dimensions from the Pickup Screws thread, I prepared to dive in. But instead I asked someone, and he looked at it and asked "Is this a 6-32?" I had it pulled up on my iPhone, he was right! Here's the info from the other thread:

The pickup height screws are 6-32 UNC with .5, .75, and 1 inch lengths

He then asked, "Do you want stainless steel like this one?" and I replied yes, because that's what Dave Houck says in the other part of the thread:

Because ferrous magnetic materials have the most effect on response, we don't use magnetic steel screws to anchor the pickup, we use stainless.

I walked out $.30 poorer, but I should have tipped the guy! He measured it for me so that I would get the correct length (.75" if I remember correctly), then went over to the wall of shelves and pulled one out. My bass is fixed! I was going to switch back to the AleM-85 fretless Guild but I think I'm going to stick with the SCSS for now.

Thanks for all the help everybody!

(When I took out the remaining screw to take to Pastime, it was definitely the same screw as the one I saw on the ground at the gig)

[growlypants]

Awesome!  As you may well know, it's rare to get knowledgeable help, these days!!  Glad it turned out!

[keith_h]

If you never readjust your pickups a small dab of blue locktite will keep them from coming out without over tightening. Important note it needs to be blue not red. Blue is removable and red is permanent.